About this guide

This guide points to major sources of statistical information relating to major demographic and social groups including: the elderly, families and children, gender and sexuality and race and ethnicity.

Sources of statistical information are held throughout the Michigan
State University Libraries. This guide is not comprehensive; rather, it
provides information on a selection of some of the most important
general sources. This guide includes both freely available WWW
resources as well as library subscription resources and print
materials.

Please ask at the Main Library Reference
Desk (floor 1 Center) if you need further assistance, or contact the author of this guide (listed to your right).

General Sources and Compendiums

This is a sample of reference materials that provide comprehensive overviews of topical statistical information. Be sure to check table source notes and appendixes for pointers to additional and more in-depth information.

​Statista is a statistics portal that provides data on over 80,000 topics from more than 10,000 different sources including agriculture, advertising, health, hospitality, consumer goods, and much more.

Indexes and abstracts statistical publications from the US government, state governments, international organizations, and professional associations. The library has an extensive microfiche collection of documents not available online. Need help using this index? Visit the ProQuest Statistical Research Guide

The ProQuest Statistical Abstract of the United States is the authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic conditions of the United States. Replaces the Census Bureau publication (1878-2012).